Olmert: Netanyahu bolstered Hamas

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert leveled harsh criticism at his successor Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday, saying that he had taken steps to weaken the Palestinian Authority and bolster Hamas at the PA's expense.

The statement was given following Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' controversial interview with Channel 2 News last week.

"Unfortunately, since the change of government in Israel, the talks with the Palestinians have been suspended and great efforts have been made to prove to the Israeli public that 'there's no Palestinian partner,'" Olmert's statement said.

"Also, the Israeli government has taken a series of steps that have made Hamas stronger and made the PA, headed by Abbas, weaker. But the PA promotes nonviolence and the peace talks."